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What is a process? A system of structured activities that use resources to turn inputs into valuable outputs. Process thinking views activities in an organization as a collection of processes Processes consist of: –Activities –Inputs/Outputs/Flows –Process structures –Management policies 3–3

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Process Capacity Capacity: amount of input that can go into or the amount of output that can be created by a process, at a given level of resources over a given time period 3–4

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1. Every process has a constraint Bottleneck: anyplace demand capacity; this limits the ability of the process to generate output A constraint or scarce resource – A facility, a department, a machine, a skill type, etc. – Demand Defines the maximum capacity of a system Go look for: – The process operation with the largest cycle time – Inventory or delay in front of the bottleneck – Vacuum behind the bottleneck 3–63–6

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1. Every process has a constraint Serial/Sequential Structure: processes occur one after another Parallel Structure: two or more processes occur simultaneously 3–73–73–73–7

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1. Every process has a constraint (contd) Measures of process flow: –Flow time: time for one unit to get through a process –Cycle time: time it takes to process one unit at an operation in the overall process –Littles Law: there is a relationship between flow time (F), inventory level (I) and throughput rate (TH) 3–83–8 In order to process 18,000 items in 12 hours, what throughput rate is needed? 12 hours = 18,000 / TH TH = 1,500 per hour Example 3-4

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2. Variance consumes capacity Variance occurs in a processs inputs, activities and outputs. Increased complexity and uncertainty makes it difficult to create plans to efficiently and effectively use resources. 3–9 B A Wait time 0%100% Capacity utilization Process B has greater variability than process A

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4. Measures processes for success Metrics should address aspects of performance that are important to both customers and the organization. –They should be verifiable and quantifiable. –They should align with standards and rewards. –They should support strategy and priorities. –They provide the basis for monitoring, controlling and improving processes. 3–13

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5. Continuous improvement of processes Kaizen: focused, incremental improvement efforts small + small + small + small + … + n = LARGE –Team focus: utilize the knowledge and experience of the people associated with the process –Short term and focused: quick, local improvement –Action-oriented: quick implementation –Repetitive: regular events 3–14

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Process and Capabilities Summary 1.Businesses are defined by their capabilities, which determine how they can satisfy customers. 2.Processes are collections of activities to convert inputs into valuable outputs. 3.Processes are characterized by activities, flows, structures, resources and metrics. 4.Bottlenecks determine the maximum output level. 5.Process variability consumes capacity, cost and lead times. 6.Process can be modified or replaced. 3–15